Back in her cell Karen prayed for Eddy. She hoped that the Good King saved him just like He saved her. It was a miracle that the tigers didn’t eat her. How grateful she was for being rescued from their jaws. As Eddy was going through his ordeal with Gabriel, Karen remained in close communion with the Good King. She didn’t know how long she was praying but she wasn’t weary to continually bring her friend before the heavenly throne. Then when she didn’t know what else to say she heard the voice that she feared she would never hear again.

“Karen, you’re alive!”

Karen opened her eyes in surprise. She saw Eddy looking at her through the bars of her cell. “Eddy, my dear friend,” she said as she reached out her hand to him, “are you okay? You didn’t get hurt did you?”

Eddy smiled. “I’m all right. The Good King saved my life out there.”

“But how did He do it?” Karen asked wanting to know what happened.

“I was face to face with a warrior, who was a former Small Faith Person. I tried to reason with him but he wouldn’t listen. He was bent on killing me. But just as he was about to the Good King stopped the sword from delivering its deadly blow. I wish you could have seen it. It was actually frozen in midair! The warrior then gave up his violent ways and is now going to rejoin the Small Faith People.”

“That’s wonderful! What a merciful Good King we serve!” said Karen.

Eddy then said to her. “I feared that those tigers had eaten you. How did the Good King help you to escape that fate?”

“I thought for sure that I was going to perish. But miraculously those beasts became gentle like domestic cats. They purred and nuzzled me. That was quite an experience.” then she added, “Though we have lost our Lanterns the Light of Truth is still sustaining us through dangers. The Holy Spirit is bringing the promises to my remembrance just like He has done for the Small Faith People.”

“The Holy Spirit does a wonderful job in reminding us of the things from the Holy Word that we have stored in our hearts.” Eddy said.

Just then the queen appeared with some guards. The two Lightbearers looked up at her, wondering what she was going to do to them.

“Guards, bring Karen and Eddy to the throne room. I want to have a word with them.” she commanded.

The guards quickly obeyed her.

*******

The Master of Darkness and his minions invisibly held a meeting. He was furious that the two Lightbearers were once again rescued from his evil hand. The day of freedom for the Small Faith People was getting very close and he wanted to interfere with the Good King’s plan in that. He paced back and forth trying to come up with another wicked idea.

One of the demons said to him, “Boss, I think we are wasting our time. It’s obvious that the Most High doesn’t want the Lightbearers to die and as far as the slaves go, it looks like that no matter what we do they will be free.”

The Master Of Darkness growled. “I know that fool! I just think that if we work harder at destroying the faith of the little people they will be oppressed by the Natives of Doubt forever. There must be something we could do.”

“Like what?” a frustated demon inquired. “We did what we could. We took the Lanterns away from the Lightbearers and destroyed them before their eyes through Much Cruel; we tried executing them in the arena and the Most High performed miracles on their behalf, which strengthened the faith of the slaves. What else can we do?”

The Master of Darkness pounded his fist on the stone wall. He knew that no matter what he tried he would lose again. Then an idea came to him. He remembered what he did in the Ancient Times when another group of slaves were promised freedom from their bondage by the Most High. His efforts in hardening the heart of the king of that oppressive country and making the people’s faith dwindle from the hardships that were placed on them so damaged their faith that many of them didn’t make it to the Promised Land when they were finally free. Maybe if they worked extra hard the same thing would happen to the Small Faith People.

The wicked being turned from the wall and faced his dark helpers with a malicious grin on his face. “Gather around, I have a plan that will not fail this time.”

*******

The queen had a private interview with Karen and Eddy. She asked them many questions about the Good King and His Kingdom in Heaven. The two Lightbearers were joyous that she was interested in His Majesty and His eternal ways. They answered her questions by quoting verses from the Holy Word that the Holy Spirit brought to their memories. The queen was impressed by their answers. She began to see that their God was a benevolent Being, a King who loves everyone and who desires that every soul be saved. She wanted to be a Believer so she asked them:

“Karen, Eddy, what must I do to be accepted by the Good King? I want to join His family.”

“Believe in the Name of His Majesty and you will be saved. You will be accepted into His family if you let Him be your Lord and Savior.” Karen answered gently.

“I have tried to find satisfaction in the many gods that I have worshiped for years, and they have only made me empty inside. I believe that the Good King alone can satisfy me and I believe that He is the one true God. Yes, I want Him to rule my life.” the queen said as she felt an overwhelming peace deep down in her soul.

“Would you like to pray and ask His Majesty to come into your heart?” Eddy asked her.

The queen smiled at him. He was so kind and gracious that she began to feel guilty for agreeing with her husband in enslaving the Small Faith People. “Yes, I would like to.”

As Karen and Eddy prayed the queen poured out her heart to the Good King. She gave Him her heart and told Him that she wanted to be His servant. After she said “amen” she looked at her new friends and smiled. She was now a Believer

My people shall know my name: … they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I. Isaiah 52:6

Restored to His presence, man will again, as at the beginning, be taught of God.

We have not the slightest idea of what will then be opened before us. With Christ we shall walk beside the living waters. He will unfold to us the beauty and glory of nature. He will reveal what He is to us, and what we are to Him. Truth we cannot know now, because of finite limitations, we shall know hereafter.

In the world to come Christ will lead the redeemed beside the river of life and will teach them wonderful lessons of truth. He will unfold to them the mysteries of nature. They will see that a master hand holds the world in position. They will behold the skill displayed by the great Artist in coloring the flowers of the field, and will learn of the purposes of the merciful Father, who dispenses every ray of light, and with the holy angels the redeemed will acknowledge in songs of grateful praise God’s supreme love to an unthankful world.

There will be open to the student, history of infinite scope and of wealth inexpressible…. The history of the inception of sin; of fatal falsehood in its crooked working; of truth that, swerving not from its own straight lines, has met and conquered error—all will be made manifest. The veil that interposes between the visible and the invisible world will be drawn aside, and wonderful things will be revealed.

With unutterable delight we shall enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. We shall share the treasures gained through ages upon ages spent in contemplation of God’s handiwork. And the years of eternity, as they roll, will continue to bring more glorious revelations. “Exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) will be, forever and forever, the impartation of the gifts of God.Mar 364.6

We must get an education here that will enable us to live with God through the eternal ages. The education we begin here will be perfected in heaven. We will only just enter a higher grade.

At forty, Adelaide Pollard was trying unsuccessfully to raise support to go to Africa as a missionary. She wondered why the Lord could so burden her with the needs of Africa, but not make it possible for her to go. During this time of discouragement, she attended a small prayer meeting where an elderly woman prayed, “Lord, it doesn’t matter what You bring into our lives, just have Your way with us.”

That night Pollard went home and read the story of Jeremiah’s visit to the potter’s house, and later that evening she wrote this hymn. She said that she had always felt the Lord was molding her and preparing her for His service. Then all of a sudden, He seemed to have deserted her.

“Perhaps,” she reasoned, “my questioning of God’s will shows a flaw in my life. So God decided to break me, as the potter broke the defective vessel, and then to mold my life again in His own pattern.”

From “The One Year Book Of Hymns: 365 Devotional Readings Based On Great Hymns Of The Faith”, by Robert K Brown and Mark R. Norton